Susan Pinner

Friday, 16 March 2018

This is post from July 2010 I found yesterday......still an interesting post though for all you newbies just starting to crochet..

l picked up my Mum's very old 'Encyclopaedia of Needlework' the other day and looked at the crochet section...such a treasured book l think Mum said she had it as a 21st Birthday present..

hugs miss ya lots

Anyway back to the 'USE ONE STITCH'....

Using SC that's the American version.....hook though the st pull yarn though and then hook again and make the sc st.....lots of variations to try and different stitches too but for now l thought l'd share this with you.....

First square is SC done as you would normally through the whole stitch.

Motifs 2&3 are worked from the back so you are a bit blind doing it

but hooked ONLY into the back half of the st, giving a lovely knobbly texture

perfect for the centre of flowers or just a lovely chunky texture to a cushion or blanket even!

This next picture is still SC again done into the back half of the stitch only but done fromright to left, only so it has a back and a front....both of which are lovely looking stitches

the top one being the closes to the normal st.

the bottom photo gives more of a slanting stripe almost like an embroidery st.

2nd Option..... if you work it continuously but still into the back of the st. onlyyou get a ribbed almost pleated look to the piece. Isn't it fascinating, how the same stitch can be so different ?

Love the really chunky ribbed sort of feel and look to this one

making every other row dominate and the other rows half hidden....

Just the simplest of the crochet stitches can give lots of different looks

Thursday, 15 March 2018

I decided I loved the sample piece so much it was worth starting again with the ripples running length ways.US Terms in black UK Terms in red brackets

I needed 9 ripples @ 23sts = 207 base ch. 6mm hook and I've used Stylecraft Carnival Chunky in 2 coloursNo extra stitches required as I am going to work this long cowl in the round, it will be big enough to hang low on warmer days but it is long enough to twist a second time around my neck for the chillier moments of next winter.

4 Complete rounds of 9 ripples weigh approx. 66g with a couple of flowers the total weight approx. 350/360gPATTERN:

3dc [3tr]into next st, miss 2sts, 3dc [3tr] into next st, miss 2sts, 3dc [3tr] into the next st, miss 2 sts, 3dc, [3tr] ch3, 3dc [3tr] into next st, start of the next ripple repeat the full ripple of 8granny shells to the end, sl st to complete. (9 full ripples)

Granny Tip: st, mark each dip as you reach it...makes it easier on a long run of ripples to keep track, remove before adding the final finish round 18

Round 2- 15: sl st into the next sp, 3dc, ch3, 3dc into top points, 3dc (granny shell) into side spaces, and miss the bottom space to create the decrease and the up turn

top point above

miss bottom space above.Round 16: change colour and repeat round 2.

Round 17: change back to main col. repeat round 2.

I like the two finishes so have done one dotty on one edge and on contrast granny shell round on the second edge

To Finish: Round18: add a round of granny shells in the second colour to the spaces of the start ch, to complete the second edge of the long cowl.

FLOWER PATTERNA 2 finger wrap of 6 wraps.

Round 1: 12sc [12dc] into the circle

Round 2: ch3, counts as first tr, [dtr) 1tr [1dtr] into the same st, 1tr [1dtr] into the next st, ch3, sl st into the same st, sl st into the next st, repeat for all 6 petals, sl st to complete.

FINISH

add a pin the back of each flower add to cowl.fold the cowl in half so you see both edgings and stay warm.

Wednesday, 14 March 2018

TIP1: When you are making a very big ripple throw or blanket then add on an extra few stitches in the first ch st row, then remove them later..this allows for any miss counting of stitches when you get to 200 and something its easy to miss count.TIP2:If you are creating your own ripple with more or less stitches on the up and down always always start with a set of decrease sts first...so you go down then up with the ripple first then the straight edge people find so difficult will be easy to achieve

This is a ripple with a decrease of three sts, and a increase of 3 sts, with the in-between count of 6dc sts (6tr sts) this up and down 6sts count, could actually be any number of sts, depending on the ripple you want. The in-between sts, will give a deeper or flatter ripple.

This 16sts, count Ripple.

You need a multiple of, 6sts up, 1st, for the increase then 6sts down then 3sts tog, for the decrease so that makes a st count of 16sts I've worked out with a small sample how many sts you need to make the blanket you require....Using a 4mm hook and the dk 16ch sts, measures approx. 3.5" (9cm)

I am actually making a Baby Blanket size approx:25/26" by 30" 7 ripples of 16sts, making a base ch of 112stsafter crocheting a few rows this has worked out to be...

112sts is approx. 25.5" and 8rows is approx. 3.5" (9cm)

US Tems in black and UK Terms in red

BASIC BABY NEAPOLITAN RIPPLE PATTERN

ch 112 (7 ripples of 16 sts) plus 2 as the first dc (tr)

UPDATE NOTE: I decided a single row of shell stitches was all it needed so it wasn't going to be quite as wide as a stroller blanket, if you want a wider blanket nearer to the stroller size add another 16sts to make 8 ripples across and not the 7 ripples of original pattern...making 128ch st base +2sts as first dc

ROW 1: (the ch2 counts as the first dc (tr)), 1dc (tr),is in the third st from the hook, (you now have 2sts)

1dc, (1tr) in the next 4sts. (= 6sts)

Half make a dc (tr) in the next 3sts, you will have 4 loops on hook,

pull yarn through all loops to cluster tog, the 3 sts (this is the decrease, the bottom of the ripple)

1dc (1tr) in the next 6sts,

3dc (3tr), in the next st (this is the increase of the ripple and the top)

*1dc (1tr) in the next 6sts

half make a dc (tr), in the next 3 sts and then pull yarn though all 4 loops on the hook drawing 3 sts tog, (this is the decrease and the ripple bottom)

1dc (1tr) in the next 6sts,

3dc (3tr), in the next st (this is the increase of the ripple and the top)

then repeat from * to make 6 complete ripples

the 7th and last ripple...1dc (1tr) in next 6sts, half make a dc (tr), in the next 3 sts and cluster tog.

1dc (1tr) in the next 4sts, 2dc (2tr), in the last st.TO TURN...

Row 2:Turn, ch2 counts as first dc (tr), 1dc (1tr) in the first st,

1dc (1tr), in the next 4sts, (so including the ch 2 st, you should have 6 dc [6tr],)

cluster tog the next 3 sts (bottom of ripple)

1dc (1tr), in the next 6sts

3sts in the next st ( this should be the middle st of the 3 increase sts of row below)

1dc (1tr) in the next 6sts,

cluster tog. the next 3sts

1dc (1tr) in the next 6sts repeat the 16st ripple pattern to end,

finish with 1dc (1tr), in the next 4sts, 2dc (2tr), in the last st, turn

Row3: repeat row 2 until your ripple is as big as you want it to be in length.dk and 4mm hook is working out approx. 8rows = 3.5" (9cm). I will be making my baby blanket approx. 28-30" Long...approx.64 rows and I'm working the colours in double stripes, so that will be 32 coloured, ripple stripes.

Colour changing.When you get the the last st of every pair of ripples (a double stripe)

before completing the second part of the last st, pull the new colour yarn through instead of the last colour to complete the st,

cont. with the new colour.

Change colour every 2rows

BABY BLANKET RIPPLE

BLANKET WEIGHT APPROX: 340G

SIZE APPROX:29" X 35"

Use the 16sts repeat ripple pattern and start with a chain of 8 ripples x 16sts (128ch sts) as the base chainWork 36 x 2row stripes to give a Stroller size baby Blanket

Shell Stitch Edging keeping the ripple ends......if you spent time doing a ripple why fill in the ends?

SHELL EDGING Pattern:

ROUND 1:Attach yarn in the first corner sp (1st stripe), of straight side, 5dc (5tr)into the next sp, (2nd stripe),

Cropped Top Motif 2013

Giant flower bath mat 2011

Paper flower light

Christmas Tree

Rolled Rose Pattern

Mini Triangle 2013

Simple Heart pattern

Adding a handle to a simple bag

Sue

Took early retirement from a life in textiles and crafts, became totally addicted to playing hooky again a few years ago. GMC Publications saw my blogs and asked me to write a beginners book about crochet in 2012.

My first book was published in May 2013 and has been a great success.

Thanks everyone for buying my book and making it a best seller.I still have to pinch myself, I'm totally amazed at its success.

2014 Update: Book 2 is finished and should be published about May 2015. I have already been asked and am working on, Book 3.....thanks again x